A method implemented on an augmented reality (AR) electronic device includes receiving a request to activate a transaction card account on a transaction card. The transaction card account is activated on the transaction card. A virtual representation of account information corresponding to the transaction card account is displayed on the AR electronic device. The exterior of the transaction card is free of account identifying information.

Techniques for efficiently and automatically activating portable devices include a device nomenclature schema used to associate devices with particular entities, including a person, a group of persons, a role, a location, a type, etc. A first device can be configured to activate one or more other devices according to assigned entity names when certain conditions occur. When a recording event occurs, metadata associated with one or more recording devices is stored, including entities that were activated during the recording event. A reviewer of the event recording can thereby easily determine other devices that might have stored data related to the event.

A container may include a tubular sidewall defining interior and exterior surfaces of the container, and including first and second regions disposed relative to one another along a major axis of the tubular sidewall. The container further may include an identification mark embedded within the tubular sidewall at a plurality of sectors about the tubular sidewall within the first region. Each sector may have a width, and the identification mark is machine readable by a reader viewing any arbitrary one or more of the sectors. An exemplary method for preparing such a container is also provided.

An imager includes an ion-emitting unit and a conveying structure to move a passive e-paper display medium in a first orientation along a travel path and to releasably support the display medium in spaced relation to receive airborne ions from the ion-emitting unit for imaging operations.

A method of manufacturing a metal product comprise forming a base region on a surface of a metal member by repeatedly scanning along a predetermined first direction while irradiating the surface of the metal member with a base laser beam over a first set of rows. The method further comprises forming a marking by repeatedly scanning along a predetermined second direction while irradiating the surface of the metal member with a marking laser beam over a second set of rows. The second direction is different from the first direction. An identification code having a predetermined pattern comprises a combination of the base region and the marking.

A method implemented on an augmented reality (AR) electronic device includes receiving a request to activate a transaction card account on a transaction card. The transaction card account is activated on the transaction card. A virtual representation of account information corresponding to the transaction card account is displayed on the AR electronic device. The exterior of the transaction card is free of account identifying information.

An ignition plug such as a spark plug or a glow plug configured to ignite an air-fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine includes a mark that is formed of an oxide film generated on the surface of a metal member or is formed of the metal member and the oxide film. The mark is formed by promoting formation of the oxide film on the surface of the metal member or removing the oxide film through radiation of a laser beam onto the surface of the metal member.

An imager includes an ion-emitting unit and a conveying structure to move a passive e-paper display medium in a first orientation along a travel path and to releasably support the display medium in spaced relation to receive airborne ions from the ion-emitting unit for imaging operations.

An ignition plug such as a spark plug or a glow plug configured to ignite an air-fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine includes a mark that is formed of an oxide film generated on the surface of a metal member or is formed of the metal member and the oxide film. The mark is formed by promoting formation of the oxide film on the surface of the metal member or removing the oxide film through radiation of a laser beam onto the surface of the metal member.

A printer driver receives printing data (e.g., data to be printed on a surface of the smart card) and encoding data from an application. The application may expose a device-independent printing interface with one or more escape functions for sending device-specific data (e.g., smart card encoding data). The printer driver generates integrated data comprising the printing data and the encoding data. A command coordinator (e.g., a language monitor) extracts printing commands and encoding commands from integrated data, sends printing commands to a printer device, and sends encoding commands to an encoder. The encoder can be recognized as a device that is separate from the printer device, even where the encoder and the printer device are housed in the same physical device. Described aspects can be used in a network environment with multiple client devices that share printing and encoding devices.